The present invention relates to dampers, and more particularly, to dampers of the type that may be used where the movement of a lid or weight needs to be decelerated or restrained.
Different types or designs of such dampers are known. Generally speaking, one traditional design employs a tubular body that defines an elongated closed chamber filled with an incompressible fluid or liquid. A piston and shaft assembly is disposed within the chamber so that one end of the shaft extends out of the chamber. The one end of the shaft and the tubular body are connected, respectively, between a member whose motion is to be dampened and a relatively fixed member. Valves or other means, which are carried by the piston assembly, serve to control the fluid flow across the piston assembly. The dampening rate of the damper is determined by the rate of fluid flow across the piston assembly as the piston assembly is moved relatively with respect to the tubular body.
The operational orientation of dampers of this traditional design is limited due to potential problems with cavitation. This has adversely affected and curtailed usage of such dampers. Those working in the damper art have long sought a damper design that was practical, orientation insensitive and non-cavitating.